Apparatus for twisting macaroni.



N0. (598,"9. Patented Apr. 22, I902. E. E. KLEINSCHMIDT. APPARATUS FOR TWIS'I'ING MACARONI.

(Application filed Apr. 3. 190;. (N6 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

v WITNESSES:

No. 698,ll9. Patented Apr. 22, I902. E. E. KLEINSCHMIDT.

APPARATUS FOR TWISTING MACABONI.

(Application filed Apr. 3, 1901. (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

,WITNESSES 1n: Nonms PiTERS CU. PNOTD-LITHOV WASHINGTON. w. c.

30 press in co UNITED STATES EDWARD E. KLEINSCHMIDT, OF NEW DASSORI, OF BRO YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK OKLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR TWIS'l'lNGt MACARONI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,119, dated April 22, 1902.

Application filed April 3,1901. $erial1lo. 54,107. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDl/VARD E. KLEIN- SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ap paratus for Twisting Macaroni, of which'the following is a full and complete specification,

such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means for forn1- ing twisted macaroni. Hitherto this has been twisted or curved into a substantially spiral form by hand.

IS The object of my invention is to provide 4 a simple and efficient apparatus by means whereof the macaroni may be twisted or caused to assume the spiral form by continuously-operating machinery.

My invention broadly consists, primarily, of a macaroni-press provided with a twisting implement at the point or points of exit of the dough and in the novel form and construction of such implement; secondarily, of such a press provided with a plurality of openings for the macaroni-dough and a similar number of rotatable twisting implements suitably geared in connect-ion so as to operate simultaneously, and, tertially, of such a mbination with a continuously-on crating apron or conveyer provided "with means for engaging trays and carrying them beneath the exits of the press whereby to collect the finished macaroni, so that it may be 5 removed from the press to dry. Further, my invention specifically consists in the novel construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the separate Views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a macaroni-press embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the 5 upper portion thereof on a smaller scale. Fig. 3 is acentral vertical section of the pressing-cylinder, twisting devices, and operatinggear therefor. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view thereof. Fig. 5- is an enlarged vertical plements and a portion of the press therecentral elevation of one of the twisting imabove. Fig. 6 is a similarly-enlarged side elevation of a twisting-die removed, and Fig. 7 is a planview thereof.

The pressing-cylinder A is suitably supported in any desired manner. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, it may be provided with outwardly-proj ecting shoulders or flanges A, which rest upon beams A connected to a wall or other support. The support of the press forms no part of my invention.

Within the cylinder Ais mounted a piston heador disk B, which is secured upon the lower end of a screw-shaft or plunger O. Surrounding this plunger at a point somewhat above the cylinder A is a nut D. To a wall or other support rearwardly of this nut is secured a bracket E, provided with two forwardly-rangin g arms or angle-plates E,Which rest, respectively, beneath and above the nut D to support the same against vertical move ment, and through these arms or angle-plates E the screw-shaft or plunger 0 loosely extends.

Upon the outside of the nut D is mounted a worm-wheel F, horizontally disposed and meshing with a eworm G, mounted upon a shaftH, which ranges in' front of the wormwheel F and is revolubly supported in a bracket H. This shaft carries the pulley I and may be driven by any suitable power connected thereto by a beltl Upon one end of the worm G is secured abevel-gear G, which meshes with a similar bevel-gear G upon the upper end of a vertical shaft J, which is mounted in a bracket J at one side of the cylinder 'A.

Upon the lower end of the shaft J is mounted abevel-gear K, which meshes with a bevelgear K, mounted on a horizontal shaft L, which is supported in bearings L upon the side of the frame or table M. Upon theopposite end of the horizontal shaftL is a bevelgear K which meshes with the bevel-gear K formed or secured upon a drum N, revolubly mounted in the said frame or table M. Near the opposite end of the said table is mounted a similar drum N, and around these drums is arranged a conveyor or apron 0.

Upon the vertical shaft J is mounted a spurgear P, and at the rear of the cylinder A, di-

parallel with the shaft J,

rcctly opposite and is a similar vertical shaft J, provided upon its lower end with asimilar spur-gear P. This shaft does not extend below the level of its spur-gear P and is provided upon its upper end with a bevel-gear G horizontally disposed at a point somewhat above the cylinder A. At the same height there is mounted upon the shaft J a similar bevel-gear G and the two gears G and G are connected by a shaft Q, mounted in an arm E forming part of the bracket E and projecting therefrom. This shaft extends rearwardly and is provided with a bevel-gear Q, and Q which respectively engage the gears G and G.

The pressing-cylinder A is formed with a plurality of conical apertures A outwardly flared from the bottom to the top, the lower portions of which extend through cylindrical bosses or bearings A formed upon the under surface of the cylinderA. Upon these bosses or bearings are revolubly mounted spur-gears R, formed with depending yokes or crossheads R, and the said gears are held in position upon their bearings A by means of collars R iVithin each yoke or cross-head R is screwed or otherwise detachably connected a tubular die or twister S, the bore S of which is open at the top and extends downwardly approximately one-half the length of the die S, whereat it inclines and opens outwardly at one side of the die, as shown at S, the die at this point having formed therein a circular or elliptical opening S The bore S is wider than the reduced end of the aperture A above it and communicates therewith. The opening S is at about the middle of the die, and its lower end below said opening is tapered or conoidal in form. This die is best shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. In the last two figures I have shown it as provided at one side of the opening S with a curved finger S which is downwardly directed and concave, open at its face adjacent the opening. The number of these dies and correspondingly of the apertures above them, with which they are in communication, may be varied as desired. In the drawings, and especially in Fig. 4, I have illustrated an arrangement in which there are twenty-eight of these apertures and dies. The spur-gears of several of the dies are intermeshed, and motion is communicated to these gears by the somewhatlarger spur-gears P and P, mounted, respectively, upon the vertical shafts J and J In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 a series of six spur-gears are intermeshed, the first of them meshing with the gear P. Next there is a series of five gears R the first of which meshes with the said gear P. Across the approximate center of the base of the cylinder A is a series of six gears R the first of which is geared to the first of the series of gears R by means of an intermediate gear To the large spur-gear P is geared the first of a series of six smaller gears R and the first of a series of four smaller gears R This arrangement, however, and the number and position of the gears are not essential. I shall hereinafter refer to these smaller gears by the reference-letter R. It will be understood that each of them, as shown in Fig. 8, carries a die or twister S and communicates with an aperture A The conveyer or apron is designed for carrying off the pressed macaroni afteritleaves the dies S. The upper face of the table M is inclined downwardly in the direction of rotation of the belt 0, and upon the belt are formed lugs or hooks O, which engage or catch onto trays T. If the trays be merely apertured and be placed upon the upper end of the table above the drum N, the lugs 0 will catch them and carry them with the apron underneath the cylinder past the drum N, where they may be released.

The operation of the device will now in general be understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the advantages thereof will be manifest to all who are skilled in the art to which it appertains.

The piston 13 being raised above the top of the cylinder A, the macaroni-dough is inserted in the said cylinder and the shaft II rotated by means of the pulley I. The Worm G, engaging the worm-wheel F, will rotate the same and the nut D, on which it is mounted, and will thereby depress the screwshaft or plunger 0 and the piston or head B. The descent of the piston B will force the dough through the conical apertures A, compressing it as it passes therethrough, and as the bores S of the dies or twisters S are in communication with the said apertures A streams or strings of dough will pass through the said bores and will be deflected outwardly by the inclined lower portions S of the said bores S through the apertures S Through the medium of the gears G and G2 the vertical shaft J will be rotated, and with it the large spur-gear P, and through the gears G", Q, Q, and G the parallel vertical shaft J and the spur-gear P will likewise be rotated, and these being geared directly or indirectly to the various spur-gears R all of the dies or twisters S will simultaneously be rotated. This rotation of the dies will cause the stream or strings of dough to turn around the lower ends or shanks of the dies, and the downward tendency of the said strings will cause them to twist or wind around said dies in a spiral course and give the said strings of dough a correspondingly spiral form. The speed of rotation of the pulley I will govern simultaneously the force of depression of the head of the plunger B and the speed of rotation of the dies. Hence the pitch of the spiral or the relatively contracted or elongated form of the finished strings of dough may be regulated by varying the speed of the machine, as will readily be understood. The conical form of the openings A will compress the dough, giving it form and consistency, and the greater width of the bores S of the v dies S than that of the lower-ends of the open- I and resultant from the uniform manipulation ings A will cause the dough 'to pass through the said dies 'without'adhering to the sides thereof or withoutobstructing the passage of the said dough or alteringits form due to of it by anynewly-invehtedmachine.v Moreover, the tapered or conoidal forrnof, the

lower ends S of the dies will prevent the dough from sticking to the exterior of the said dies, since the first turn or two aroundthe dies will determine the diameter of the spiral strings and in the descent-thereof they will the said apron will likewise continuously travel during the operation'of the machine,

and its speed of travel will be governed by the speed of the pulley I and accord with that of the screw-shaft or plunger and'the rotating dies S, so that when the machine is turn ing out the dough relatively fast the conveyer will likewise travel more. rapidly and carry off the dough "as effectively as when running ata lower rate of speed. The strings -of dough. fall into the trays-T from the dies, and as the conveyer or ap'ro'ncarries the trays away fromthe dies or as the said 3o trays are removed the macaroni-strings may be broken oif at any desired point. 'It-will be observed that the traysiin passing all of the.

dies will receive upon the first'or front portion thereof the commencement ofthe strings of doughfrom all or the dies before the "lower or rear-portion of'the, tray has passed the' first die. To insure that the; streams of dough will descend uniform distances before they.

reach the place of, rest upon the trays, I incline the top of the table M downward'lyand mount the belt or conveyer O similarly in in an inclined position, so that the trays will pass'at an increased distance from the successive dies to compensate. A tray being set upon theupper portion of the table over the drum N will be caught by one of the lugs '0" of the conveyor or apron and will be carried down past the dies to thelower-portion of the table, Where it may be removed. If the defleeting-fingers (shown in Figs. 5 and 6) is used upon the dies, this will assist in directing the macaroni-strings backwardly from the openingsSian'd oppositely to the direction of rotation of the dies; but thiswill in general be sufficiently well accomplished without the aid of these fingers, andthe use thereof is therefore notto be'gonsidered as ;essential.

Bymeans of my invention theslow, labo-. rious, and'therefore expensivemethod of twisting macaroni by hand without the cer}v tainty of the constant uniformityof spiral twisting is supplantedbycontinuously-open ating mechanism which will rapidly, effectively, and cheaply twi'st'the macaroni,com-

pressing it at the same time and permitting not only the uniform production of the spiral form. but also the regulation of the relongation orpitch thereof.

I do not confine my'selfto the exact formation of the parts and construction of modetails of my invention as hereinabove set forth,

as I conceive my invention to' be essentially novel .in its construction and broadin' its scope. Y

Havin g byLetters Patent, is'

thus fully described my said inven- 1 tion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure 1. An apparatus for twisting macaroni comprisinga press provided with a plurality of apertures through which the dough may be forced, a vertical plunger for pressing the dough through the said aperturesyrotarv twisting devices mouriteda'djacent thesaid apertures and in communication therewith and opening laterally outwardly whereby in their rotary movement to impart a spiral ,or'

twisted. form to'the said macaroni as it leaves thepress. a

- I 2. An apparatus for. twistingniacaroni comprising a press provided witha plurality of apertures'through which the dough'maybe forced, a vertical plunger for-pressing the dough through the said apertures, I rotary twisting devices mounted adjacentthesaid apertures and in communication therewith,

and opening laterally outwardly whereby in. I their rotary movementto impart ajspiral or twistedform to the saidzm acaroniasit leaves- 'the press, and meansconn'ectedwith thesaid rotary twisting devices and with the operative mechanism of the pressto impart motion q simultaneouslv to they said vertical "plunger and the said twistingdevices.

r 3. An apparatus for twisting macaroni,

comprisinga press provided'with za plurality of apertures through which the dough is Q -forced',devices mounted adjacent torsaid openings for imparting aspiral ortwistedrform' to the macaroni as it passes therethrough a conveyermounted beneath the said twistingde vices to receive the twistedmacaronithereon, i

and devices for imparting motion simulta' neously to the operative mechanismrof .the

press to the several twisting devices, and to the conveyer, whereby they operate atgsuit able relative speedsq 4. In anapparatus for twisting ,jmacaroni, v

a twisting-deformed alla entra bore;

adapted to .receivethe =macaroni. there-,

thro ugh,and openinglaterallyoutwardly,thej said diebeing-adapte'd to-rotat"e, wherebyitoy gr impart a roni.- l I 5. Inan apparatus spiral ortwisted-formf to-themaca' for twisting macaroni,

a twistingdie' formed iwithfa central-r, bore,;. vi

adapted [to receive .xathe z macaroni the r'e through,and-openinglaterallyoutwardlynear" f the center ofrthe die, and provided;withf'a Q" finger or projection 'at one -sidejof said open leavesthe are,

.ing. whereby to deflect the macaroni'Lasgit j 1-6. In an apparatus fortwisting macaroni, l a twisting-die formed with ,a-central bore adapted to receive the macaroni therethrough and opening laterally outwardly, the said die being adapted to rotate, whereby to impart a spiral form to the macaroni, and the lower end of the said die beneath the open ing thereof being tapered or conoidal in form.

7. An apparatus for twisting macaroni comprising a press provided with an aperture through which the dough is forced, a rotary twisting-die mounted in operative relation to the said aperture and formed with a central bore adapted to receive the macaroni therethrough, and opening laterally outwardly and provided with a depending shank beneath the said opening and being adapted to rotate whereby to impart a spiral or twisted form to the macaroni.

8. An apparatus for twisting macaroni, comprising a press formed with aconical aperture therein, a gear-wheel mounted beneath the said aperture and revoluble around it, a twisting-die connected with the said gearwheel and provided with a central bore com-- municating with the aperture of the press, and wider than the lower end thereof, and

opening laterally of the said twisting-die, the

said die being formed with a tapered or conoidal end beneath the said opening; and means for imparting motion to the said gearwheel.

9. An apparatus for twisting macaroni, comprising a press provided with a plurality of conoidal apertures through which the dough is forced, twisting devices mounted beneath the said apertures and provided with central bores wider than the lower ends of the said apertures and opening laterallyv of the twisting-dies, and means for imparting to the macaroni a spiral or twisted form as it leaves the said openings.

10. An apparatus for twisting macaroni, comprising a press provided with a plurality of apertures through which the dough is formed, rotary twisting devices mounted beneath the said apertures and provided with central bores communicating with said apertures and opening laterally of the said dies, gear-wheels connected with and surmounting said dies and revolubly mounted beneath the apertures, and a gear-wheel engaging and operating the gears of the said twisting devices.

11. An apparatus for twisting macaroni,

,comprising a press provided with a plurality of apertures through which the dough is forced, rotary twisting devices mounted beneath the said apertures and formed with central bores communicating with said apertures and opening laterally of the said dies, gear-wheel connected with and surrounding the twisting devices and revolubly mounted upon the press, a gear-wheel meshing with and operating the gears of the said twisting devices, a conveyor or apron beneath the said dies, and means for simultaneously operating the last-namedgear-wheel, the operative mechanism of the press, and the said apron.

12. An apparatus for twisting macaroni, comprising a press provided with a' plurality of apertures through which the dough is forced, rotary twisting devices mountedlbeneath the said apertures and formed with central bores communicating with said apertures and opening laterally of the said dies, gear-wheels connected with and surmounting the twisting devices and revolubly mounted upon the press, a gear-wheel meshing with and operating the gears of the said twisting devices, a conveyer or apron supported beneath the twisting devices in an inclined position, descending in the direction of its movement, and means for imparting to the macaroni a spiral or twisted form as it leaves the said openings.

13. Anapparatus for twisting macaroni, comprising a press provided with a plurality of apertures through which the dough is forced, rotary twisting devices mounted beneath the said apertures and formed with central bores communicating with said apertu res and opening laterally of said dies, gearwheels connected with and surmounting the twisting devices and revolubly mounted upon the press, a gear-wheel meshing with and operating the gears of the said twisting devices, a conveyer or apron mounted beneath the said twisting device in an inclined position descending in the direction of its movement, trays detachably connected with the said apron, means upon the apron for catching the' trays and carrying them in an inclined position beneath the twisting devices, and means for simultaneously imparting motion to the gear-wheel which operates said twisting devices, to the operative mechanism of the press, and to the said apron.

14. An apparatus for twisting macaroni comprising a press formed of a cylinder provided in its bottom with a plurality of conical apertures through which the dough is forced, and a screwplunger, a shaft for operating the same, means connecting the said shaft and the screw-plunger whereby to operate the same, a vertical shaft connected with the said plunger-operating shaft and pro vided near its lower end with a spur-gear, a parallel vertical shaft geared in connection therewith and provided with a parallel spurgear, a plurality of smaller gears revolubly mounted beneath the apertures of the press and provided with depending yokes, the said gear-Wheels being geared together in connection with the spur-gears of the vertical shaft,

a plurality of twisting-dies screwed into the said yokes and formed with central bores communicating with the said apertures and opening laterally outwardly near the center of the dies and wider than the lower ends of the said apertures, the said twisting-dies being provided with tapered or conoidal ends, a conveyor or apron mounted beneath the said twisting-dies in an inclined position, descending in its direction of movement, trays detachably connected with the said apron, devices upon the said apron for catching the said trays and carrying them in an inclined position beneath the dies, means for rotating the said apron, and means connected with one of the vertical shafts for.operating the said rotating means.

15. In a macaroni-press, the combination with a cylinder provided with a plurality of apertures therein and meansfor forcing the dough therethrough, of'an inclined conveyer or apron mounted beneath the said cylinder and provided with means for rotating the same, trays detachably conuectedwith the said apron and devices upon the said apron for catching the said trays and carrying them in an inclined positionbeneath the dies.

16. In a macaroni-press, the combination with a cylinder having an aperture therein and means for forcing the dough therethrough, of a rotary twisting-die mounted beneath the said aperture and communicating therewith, the upper portion of-the said diewhich is in communication with the aperture being externally closed and provided with a central bore which extends partially through the said die and opens laterally at the bottom of said bore, the said die being provided witha depending shank beneath the said aperture.

17. In a macaroni-press, the combination with a cylinder having an aperture therein and means forforcing the dough therethrough, of a rotary twisting-die mounted beneath the said aperture and communicating therewith, the upper portion of the said die which is in communication with the aperture being externally closed and provided with a central bore which extends partially through the said die and opens laterally at the bottom of said bore, and a tapered or conoidal shank or lower end depending from the die beneath the said opening.

'18. Ina macaroni-press, the combination with a cylinder having an aperture therein and means forforcing the dough therethrough,

of a rotary twisting-die mounted beneath the said aperture and communicating therewith,

the upper portion of the saiddie which is in communication with the aperture being externally closed and provided with a central bore which extends partially through the said die and opens laterally at the bottom of said bore, and a tapered or conoidal shank or lower end depending from the die beneath the said opening, and means forimparting rotary motion tothe said die whereby when the dough is forced therethrough and outwardly through the lateral apertures it will be wound around the-tapered or conoidal lower end and given a spiral form.

-In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention'I have signed my name, inpresence of the subscribing witnesses, this 27th day of March, 1901.

, EDWARD E. KLEINSOHMIDT. Witnesses:

. F. A. STEWART, F. F. TELLER. 

